Itinerary:

Leave obnoxiously bright and early on March 25 for a 10 drive to Mendocino. Highlights include a pit stop in Grants Pass for gas, lunch in Ferndale and one long afternoon of gazing at the Pacific Ocean from Hwy 101.

Followed with two nights and at least one full day in quaint Mendocino (complete with long walks on the beach with the dog and window-shopping) before another 3 hour drive to Palo Alto.

Palo Alto highlights include: a day trip to the City (that would be San Francisco), an afternoon in Santa Cruz, lunch with The Amy, dinner with Jon and Chris, and drinking lots of Peet's Coffee, eating out, and shopping shopping shopping!

Finish the California sojourn on April 1 with a ridiculously dreary 12-hour straight-shot drive through the California desert, stopping perhaps near Mt. Shasta for dinner (and some snow if lucky).